TUALATIN - Portland Trail Blazers rookie center Yang Hansen received his first taste of an NBA practice Saturday at the team’s Tualatin facility.
Yang, from China, discovered right away that the NBA is faster and more physical than the Chinese Basketball Association, but it is also more controlled.
“They play hard. But they are civilized,” Yang said through his translator Chris Liu.
The contact will take some getting used to for Yang, the No. 16 overall pick in the NBA draft on June 25.
“They really use body contact,” Yang said. “But don’t break anyone else. They try to protect each other. But they really use their bodies to make extra contact.”
Yang can expect to get bumped around a bit in Las Vegas, where the Blazers will participate in the 2025 NBA Summer League.
Their first of four scheduled games is on Friday against the Golden State Warriors.
Yang will not only be the most watched player on the Blazers’ roster, but also one of the more intriguing prospects in action during the summer session, given that he is attempting to make the jump from China to the NBA.
The selection was considered a reach by the Blazers, who traded back from the No. 11 pick with Memphis to select Hansen at No. 16.
Yang said his main goals through the process are to learn through making mistakes, play hard and enjoy competing against high-level players.
“I would try to play my ball and try to play team basketball,” he said. “And do the dirty jobs on the court like set screens, rebound and go play defense.”
Coaching Yang and the summer league team will be assistant coach Ronnie Burrell. He said the 7-foot-1 rookie very much looked like one during the first practice.
“But the talent level that he has and his size, he’s always gonna stand out and be impressive,” Burrell said. “Obviously, there are things he’s gonna learn really, really quickly. And he’s expected to have his struggles and also have some success.”
Burrell said he has been impressed with how well Yang has handled transitioning to a new culture.
“I can’t imagine being in his shoes,” Burrell said. “This is all new to him, the language, the culture. And he handles it amazingly ... The kid has maturity, and he’s got character, and he’s picking up things fast.”
Coaching someone who speaks little English has its challenges.
On the court and in meetings, after speaking to the team or directly to Yang, Burrell must wait for the center’s translator to repeat what he said in Mandarin.
“I’m so used to just speaking and no one else speaking while you’re speaking in the meeting or whatever,” Burrell said.
According to Burrell, things went smoothly during the first practice.
“As of now, it’s not like we have to hit the brakes and go really, really slow for him,” Burrell said. “And it’s impressive to watch. It’s hard to tell how much he understands when you speak quickly to him, but he’s doing a great job.”
Players, including Blazers guard/forward Rayan Rupert, also must adjust to the language barrier.
“But he’s great,” Rupert said. “He tries to speak English. He has his translator with him every time. So, it’s pretty easy.”
Yang said he’s is adjusting to what can be a difficult process.
“I try to use the English I know,” he said. “I know more basketball words. So, I can talk more, try to utilize my words to communicate with my coaches and teammates. And I try to use my team, and also the team will help me learn more English.”
Yang, who will start at center for the summer league team, has already made an impression on Rupert with his passing.
Rupert described how Yang quickly finds teammates when they cut to the basket.
Yang said he enjoys getting assists and helping his teammates score. But he won’t try to make too many highlight-type passes.
“Coach Chauncey (Billups) will curse him out,” he said with a laugh.
A plan is not yet in place for how Yang will be used on the court in Las Vegas.
“It’s formulating,” Burrell said. “It’s all new to us as well. And that’s part of welcoming in a new player to our organization. And for this summer, obviously, we’re going to build some things around him.”
However, the goal is not to place too much on the rookie’s shoulders too soon.
“There’s a lot of pressure on that kid,” Burrell said. “I just want him to go out there and have fun first. And obviously, I want him to learn things that he’ll be able to take into the NBA season to make him successful once training camp for the Blazers comes around.”
Off the court, Yang said he has found a supermarket where he can find food he likes, and has gotten to know Blazers, Deni Avdija, Donovan Clingan and Shaedon Sharpe, who have been at the facility, and staff members.
“I need some time to remember their name by English,” Yang said with a smile.
The Blazers will practice again on Sunday and Monday before departing for Las Vegas.
Burrell said he is thankful for the opportunity to run the team and will judge his success by how much the players gain from the experience.
“I think the guys that we have, everybody here has a common goal,” Burrell said. “But they’re at different points in their careers and they showed a hunger today that I’m impressed with. They were welcoming to each other. They were welcoming to Hansen.”
“I will enjoy the competition, for sure,” Yang said. “I will enjoy the process.”
-- Aaron Fentress | afentress@Oregonian.com | @AaronJFentress (Twitter), @AaronJFentress (Instagram), @AaronFentress (Facebook)
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